Best of sports for spring 2000

Bruins hand Dirtbags worst lost since 1998

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA handed Long Beach State its worst defeat since in two years Tuesday with a 17-6 pounding at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

The Bruins (31-22) scored in all but one inning, amassing 17 hits. Second baseman and Long Beach Poly product Chase Utley set a UCLA record with a 6-for-6 performance, all singles. He also added two runs and two RBIs.

The loss was the worst since at 1998 loss to Nevada 17-3.

One of the Dirtbags' few bright spots was a grand slam by left fielder Jeff Jones in the top of the eighth inning to right field, his fifth home run of the year.  Because the 49ers were down 12-2 before the slam, it wasn't really that significant to Jones, he said.

"I felt good," Jones said, who leads the team with a .400 average and had three hits Tuesday. "It's not something that really changes anything, though. We played terrible today."

A lack of a consistent fourth starting pitcher has caused LBSU (29-21) problems with midweek games, Head Coach Dave Snow said. The Dirtbags have a combined 2-8 record on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and have tried several different starters.

Freshman lefty Chad Bentz (0-2, 7.43 ERA) got the call Tuesday and lasted only two innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits to take the loss. Snow used four pitchers on the evening.

Bruins Bill Scott and Forrest Johnson hit their 21st and 19th homers of the year, respectively, and utility player Aldo Pinto played all nine positions on the field.

Separately, the Big West Conference named LBSU center fielder Robert Womack its Player of the Week for May 8. Womack hit .533 last week with two doubles, a triple and a home run.

The Dirtbags hope they can get their confidence back with two important Big West Conference series looming ahead.

This story originally ran in its entirety May 11.